Dirty Dozen - WATER KEFIR

Water kefir is made from the kefir grain that takes the form of crystals. It has an intriguing origin story of its own: probably propagated on Mexican prickly pear cacti, water kefir was brought back from Crimea by the British and offered to Mother Teresa by Tibetan monks. The crystals also enjoy a symbiotic origin having appeared in many cultures simultaneously; from Mexico, to the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia, Tibet and Ukraine.

The crystals, when introduced to water and a sweetener, like sugar, honey or even molasses, during fermentation, produce a carbonated beverage that may benefit from the addition of ginger roots, and citrus or berry fruits during a second fermentation. With recipes that allow so many variations, water kefir enjoys a wide range of names that reflect its cross-cultural origins: tibias, snow lotus, Himalayan crystals and California bees!